Province and City of Surrey sign MOU to advance planning, community consultation and development of a proposed provincial museum.
Surrey, B.C. — September 18, 2026: The Government of British Columbia and the City of Surrey have taken another step toward the development of a provincial museum dedicated to recognizing the history, culture, achievements and contributions of Canadians of South Asian heritage.
The Province and the City of Surrey have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining cooperation on the next stages of planning for the proposed museum. The agreement includes community consultation, exploring potential locations and sites, identifying possible support opportunities and developing an implementation plan.
Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Minister Anne Kang said South Asian Canadians have made important contributions to the social, cultural, economic and political development of British Columbia. The Province said the museum would provide a place where these stories and contributions can be recognized, preserved and shared with future generations.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said Surrey is a natural location for a museum dedicated to Canadians of South Asian heritage, noting that approximately 40% of Surrey’s population is connected to South Asian heritage. She also emphasized the importance of community participation in shaping the project.
The Province says community input will remain an important part of the museum’s development so that the eventual institution can reflect the diverse histories, cultures, languages and experiences of South Asian Canadians across British Columbia.
Next Steps
The next phase will include examining different opportunities and potential locations, continuing consultation with communities, identifying key milestones and preparing an implementation plan to guide future decisions.
The Province says the initiative follows a year-long public consultation process conducted during 2024–25, which included surveys, community discussions, youth engagement, written submissions and discussions with community organizations, academics and museum-sector experts. More than 145 consultation sessions were held across B.C., with a “What We Heard” report released in August 2025.
The proposed museum initiative builds on a provincial commitment first announced in 2017 and reaffirmed in 2020 to establish a provincial museum focused on the contributions, history, culture and achievements of Canadians of South Asian heritage.
